Yahoo News Stoke City confirm summer signing number three as deal done for defender
Stoke City have agreed a deal for left-back Eric Bocat as their third signing of the summer.
The 24-year-old defender, who grew up near Paris and has made his name in the Belgian top flight with Sint-Truidense, arrives for an undisclosed fee believed to be just north of £1 million. He has signed a four-year contract and follows goalkeeper Viktor Johansson and centre-half Ben Gibson as close season deals.
Sporting director Jon Walters said: “I am thrilled to announce that Eric is joining Stoke City. He is a versatile, athletic, and exciting player whose attributes can help him thrive in the Championship and beyond. Eric’s ability to adapt to different positions on the field will be a tremendous asset for our team and I look forward to seeing his growth and development within our squad.
“I am confident our fans will give him a warm and enthusiastic welcome and that he will quickly become an integral part of our journey towards success.”
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Bocat will meet his new teammates at Clayton Wood on Monday on the first day of pre-season. His unveiling comes on the day that Championship fixtures have been confirmed for 2024/25, with an opening day against Coventry at the bet365 Stadium.
He has a reputation for his athleticism and ability going forwards and has long been in the eye of Stoke scouts, with a deal mooted in January when the Potters ultimately had to focus their funds on strengthening the attack and brought in Million Manhoef.
“I am really happy, this is a big move in my life and my career and I am excited to get started," he said.
“When I talked with the sporting director and head coach, they explained how they like my profile for a left-back and believe I can be a good player for the team.
“I am offensive, quick and like to dribble, however, I am a left-back firstly and my defensive attributes are very important too. It’s an area of my game I have improved a lot during the last couple of years in Belgium.
“I develop every day, as both a player and person, and I’m now ready to take the next step in my career.”
